Wired+NewsweekEver since I was a teenager, I’ve had a peculiar interest in the magazine publishing industry. I remember taking advantage of free subscription offers before I would cancel after the trial period to avoid incurring bills at such a young age.

I was 15 when I started selling advertising for a niche magazine and by 16 I wrote my first business plan for a student magazine. It would launch a year later and continue until I was 20.

I’ve continued to love magazines and I subscribe to at least 20, including Fast Company, Time, Fortune, Christianity Today and Adbusters. I’ve seen many come and go over the years (George, Life and Portfolio have been missed) and many more struggle their way through tough times (Paste and Relevant are recent examples).

One of the trends I’ve noticed lately is the idea of having a celebrity editor. A magazine will turn an entire issue over to a “guest editor” and infuse their personality into a particular issue. Wired teamed with mister mystery man J.J. Abrams and Newsweek teamed with satirical news host Stephen Colbert in what was a hilariously historical moment.

It’s an obvious and admittedly planned publicity stunt intended to sell more copies on the newsstand. I kind of like the idea.

Tip: I read the majority of my magazines when I’m on the dreadmill (er, I mean, treadmill) at the gym.

I love magazines!

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